Chris Christie’s Next National Scandal: The Case of the Very Expensive Commercial

According to CNN, federal investigators “will examine New Jersey's use of $25 million in Sandy relief funds for a marketing campaign to promote tourism at the Jersey Shore after Sandy decimated the state’s coastline in late 2012.” It seems that, of that $25 million, $4.7 million went to the marketing firm that produced commercials starring Chris Christie; his wife Christine Christie; his kids Chris Christie Jr., Christina Christie, Christy Christie, Chrysanthemum Christie, Christoph Christie; and his Mexican hairless dog, Crisp Christie.

The firm in question, MWW, was awarded the campaign despite the fact that a different firm, Sigma, pitched a marketing strategy that would have only cost the state $2.5 million. To be fair, MWW’s plan provided the Christie family with breakout roles in a regional television commercial; Sigma’s plan provided the Christie family with zero breakout roles in a regional television commercial. Sure, the Sigma plan was cheaper, but it would not star the Family Christie. You tell us which number is larger: one starring role, or zero starring roles? One or zero? Exactly. Everyone pack it in, nothing to see here.

Back in August, when the damned, no-good Fourth Estate first obtained financial information about the various marketing pitches, “Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie, said MWW was the best choice of all the candidates. MWW had statewide connections that would allow it to mobilize quickly to perform the high-stakes work of boosting tourism in the first summer season since superstorm Sandy,” the Asbury Park Pressreported. MWW, veering a shade off-message for a marketing group discussing its own marketing campaign, had said back in May: “From the creative side we had to decide who is the strongest voice communicating that we’re back from the storm, and the governor has been that voice. We put out this very huge concept that included having the governor’s office involved loud and clear.”